


The Bandit Boys

by AshesTheTerrible



Category: Borderlands, Tales from the Borderlands - Fandom
Genre: AI, Action/Adventure, Anal Sex, BDSM, Blood, Blowjobs, Body Possession, Body Worship, Consensual Sex, Creatures, Dom/sub relationship, Drug Use, Enemies to Lovers, Gore, Hyperion, Lovers, M/M, Masturbation, Oral Sex, Reincarnation, Rough Sex, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Toxic love, Weird Romance, bandits, becoming a bandit, becoming an outlaw, new body, relationships, rhack - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-03
Updated: 2015-07-30
Packaged: 2018-04-07 10:10:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4259400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshesTheTerrible/pseuds/AshesTheTerrible
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rhys and Vaughn make the tough decision to go against Sasha and Fiona by heading off for the Hyperion city of Opportunity with intent on bringing Jack back to Hyperion hands. One team of scientists, and one new body later...Jack is back, and in the flesh this time. But things prove to be a little more difficult than just coming right back to life and slipping right back into his Hyperion throne. Details of his time spent in Rhys' body linger, like shared thoughts...and even sometimes dreams. With this new found telepathic connection between them, Jack develops a sort of fondness for his pretty little Hyperion underling. The company is in Jack's iron fist once more, and Pandora will meet its fate by his hand soon enough...everything finally seems to be going his way...that is until his favorite plaything is captured by the very Vault Hunters Jack had sworn to kill in his first lifetime. Jack's favorite little pumpkin then becomes the one thing he hates the most....a bandit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Wandering Fellas

**Author's Note:**

> So I already have two other Rhys and Jack fics going, but hey why not one more? I have one with an overly crazed AU Jack and a domestic AU Jack...this go round I just wanted to be more true to Jack's character I suppose. I really wanted something where his batshit nuts side is apparent and wonderful. So Vaughn and Rhys make the decision to trust Jack and bring him back to Hyperion, to the flourishing city of Opportunity, it being the closest option. The two boys are lured by Jack's promises of fortune and fame. Jack called all the kings scientists and all the kings men and low and behold they put Jack back together again. Jack's got a new body, but recovery doesn't come easy. Rhys finds himself staying by the Hyperion king's bed side through most of his recovery, and the two of them heal together, both worn from the trials of being split apart. In this time, Jack develops a certain fondness for the little clingy, overly eager kid. As the recovery period goes on, Jack and Rhys stumble on the troubling fact that though they are parted, they still share thoughts and even sometimes dreams. Nothing is secret between the two of them, forcing them into a strange form of a relationship based on each other not wanting their deepest, darkest secrets spilled. Rhys becomes the weird little plaything of Handsome Jack, living the good life as Jack comes through with all his lavish promises. 
> 
> Until Opportunity is breached. In the confusion Rhys is captured by Vault Hunters who still think Handsome Jack's AI lives within Rhys' brain. As Rhys is suddenly thrust into having to learn how to survive on Pandora in the hands of Vault Hunters, or be killed...he becomes the very thing his partner despises...a bandit. dun dun dun!!!!! Please stay tuned and I hope you enjoy! ;)

Wandering Fellas

 

Rhys was pretty sure he’d never felt _heavier_ in his entire short span of existence. He felt like he’d been run over by a bandit technical, only to have the thing back up, and run him down several more times before finally letting him be. His feet dragged, his arms hung heavy and loose, every bone, every ligament in his makeup complaining with hollow ache. He didn’t even really want to know how large the blisters forming on his heels had become in the span of the day’s journey. If they were bad this morning, he was sure they were ten times worse now. They felt worse…a lot worse.

The young man huffed out loudly, his breath expelling in the form of what wanted to be a whole string of complaints, but he was too tired to make it into one…and so it was just let loose as an annoyed, frustrated sound. He reached up halfheartedly to wipe the dirty pad of his human thumb over his cracked lips. The salt of his skin stung the split wounds and he hissed at the contact, instantly regretting the decision to touch. He ran his parched tongue across them instead, wetting the anatomy uselessly. It wasn’t like it really did any good anymore.

Rhys looked sideways to his shorter counterpart. The day’s blistering heat and the hours of seemingly aimless walking had turned them on each other. Well…in a sense. They were both tired and irritable. Vaughn was too excited over Pandora making him feel ‘absolutely alive!” and Rhys had grown tired of him babbling on and on about how they were practically bandits now, just as ruthless and tough as the inhabitants on this god forsaken planet. One, Rhys strongly stood behind the thought process that being a ‘bandit’ in any form was not something to be friggin’ proud of. Two, no, they were not tough battle ready warriors just because they’d by some absolute miracle survived a couple of weeks in this hellish place. It was dumb luck that they hadn’t been shot, or eaten yet…so Rhys really failed to see the victory of it all as Vaughn seemed to.

So they hadn’t become skag shit yet, that wasn’t exactly a reason to celebrate.

They were no more prepared for the wilds of this planet than the moment they had set foot here. Rhys wasn’t kidding himself about that. Vaughn’s enthusiasm for this cesspool of a land was annoying to say the least. He couldn’t really blame his best friend, and had they been in better spirits, Rhys would have most likely tolerated his jovial antics. But here, in the burning sun, after hours without food or water, Rhys was really getting to the end of his rope with hearing Vaughn blabber on about how they could make it out here, that they didn’t need Helios anymore. That they could become Vault hunters and spend the rest of their days running wild over this vicious landscape.

This was Vaughn’s first trip off of Helios in quite some time…and it showed…in all the annoying, over excited ways that mimicked a child having spotted their favorite candy in the grocery store.

Rhys felt his shoulders tighten and his fists clench into tight little balls.

That was it, he could not stand one more second of ‘bandit this, and vault hunter that’.

“WE are NOT cut out to be Vault Hunters!” Rhys exclaimed pausing to look back at his counterpart, hands tossed into the air angrily.

Vaughn paused in the sand, eyebrows pushed up over the lenses of his dirty glasses. Vaughn plucked the spectacles off his face slowly, wiping the sand blasted glass with the sweaty hem of his shirt and only succeeding in spreading the day’s funk around on the eyewear as opposed to actually cleaning the things.

He pressed the glasses up onto the bridge of his nose once more and lent Rhys an offended look.

Rhys just stared at him, panting under the merciless heat waiting for the answer he knew was coming from his best friend.

“Well…I mean who says? We shot those bandits and we totally have racked up the kills since we’ve been here! A little training and…” Vaughn shrugged.

“And what, we skip off into crimson raider territory, announce hey, we aren’t Hyperion anymore! We wanna be Vault Hunters now?! Every time we have killed someone it’s been by accident, out of sheer panic, or absolutely dumb luck. Hell, I don’t really even know how to _use_ a freaking gun and we work for a weapons company!!! WE belong back on Helios, where nobody is shooting at us, or trying to murder us in our sleep!” Rhys exclaimed waving his hands in a sporadic motion.

Vaughn’s mouth was a hard line across his face, eyes searching over his flailing counterpart, the expression on his face caught between wanting to be mad, or wanting to ask Rhys if the heat had finally gotten to him and he was going off the deep end.

“Heck bro, I wasn’t being totally serious. It’s fun to think about though.” Vaughn snarled shrugging his shoulder up.

“I was just trying to pass the time.” Vaughn continued huffily brushing past Rhys and continuing off through the landscape.

Rhys stood placid, frozen to the spot in which he stood. Instantly he felt bad for his little outburst. Great now he was the asshole…fantastic, he thought miserably.

Rhys groaned out and jogged a little, coming up next to Vaughn once more.

“Hey look I’m sorry…I’m just really sick of being out here in the middle of nowhere. Sorry for taking it out on you bro.” Rhys grumbled apologetically.

Vaughn just offered him an understanding look and reached out to pat Rhys’ shoulder lightly.

“Yeah I know. I’m tired too.” Vaughn sighed looking up toward the vicious sun.

“No more bandit talk ok?” Vaughn chuckled kicking the sand.

“Ok.” Rhys sighed thankfully.

They were already surrounded by every horror under the sun in this ridiculous place…he could most certainly go for just a few seconds of _not_ talking about bandits, and creatures, and bloodshed and guns. Rhys sucked in a slow breath and looked out at their surroundings in dismay. Not that there really was much more to talk about out here. Sand, they could talk about sand…and rocks…sand and rocks, some conversation starters.

“Oh I know we could totally play I spy! I spy with my little eye…a rock. Oh and another rock, a rock shaped like a dick, a big rock, a little rock…a bunch of fucking rocks. You know this would be so much easier if you could just use that fancy arm and eye to get us a car sent down. Or you know…something like that.” A voice buzzed in the back of Rhys’ brain, causing Rhys to yelp and jump involuntarily.

Rhys shook his head and growled at the unwanted company now flickering into form before him.

“I told you, I am _locked out_ of Hyperion. There isn’t a whole lot that I can do about that. It’s walking or nothing.” Rhys snarled to the cheeky hologram standing mere inches before him.

Vaughn had paused to look at the sudden scene playing out between his friend…and midair. He supposed this would be a much easier pill to swallow if he could actually see the entity Rhys claimed was lodged up in his brain…but as it was, it literally just looked like Rhys was bat shit nuts. Heat did do crazy things to people, possibly including hallucinations of a dead Ex-Hyperion President Vaughn supposed. But he wanted to believe his friend, with all his heart he did. So he tried to understand it, tried to grasp it…but he was still finding it difficult. It wasn’t exactly every day that your best friend came to you claiming to have Handsome Jack’s AI attached to him. The several tests Vaughn had conducted to prove the legitimacy of Rhys’ claims had panned out and seemed to prove Rhys wasn’t lying…but still…

It had become even harder for Vaughn to accept it all when Rhys claimed that Jack could actually _take over_ his body. What was this some monster movie flick and Vaughn hadn’t gotten the memo? Vaughn had only believed it when he’d seen it. Rhys had sounded like Rhys, looked like Rhys…but he sure hadn’t _acted_ like Rhys. The second Rhys had waltzed in making an utter ass of himself in front of Vaughn and the rest of their little misfit band of counterparts, Vaughn had known Rhys was telling the truth. As horrible and weird as it was…his best friend was sharing a body with Handsome Jack, in some form or fashion. Admitting it made Vaughn even feel a little on the crazy side of the board.

But who was he kidding, everything they had encountered in the past few weeks WAS absolutely, utterly insane…Handsome Jack taking over Rhys was honestly on the more normal end of things at this point.

Jack’s hologram crossed its arms over its broad chest and rolled its eyes so hard Rhys feared they might just bounce right out of his sockets.

What a drama queen, Rhys thought irritably.

A little walking never killed anybody, but that didn’t stop Jack from kicking and screaming about it for the day’s entirety. Completely ignoring the fact that he was a dead guy’s AI and walking most likely didn’t even affect him physically. Between his constant berating to Rhys’ brain and the fierce heat, no wonder Rhys was feeling like his head was a puddle of mush.

“You know I can _hear_ your thoughts kiddo.” Jack snarled giving Rhys a vicious look, his face phasing apart only to jitter back together in a jumpy, sloppy fashion.

Rhys bit his lip and shook his head. Fuck he was never going to get used to this whole, ‘having Jack in his head’ thing. It had been a trying couple of weeks to say the least. Rhys felt about ten years older, and ten years more worn. Brains were not exactly meant to be _shared_ and dealing with the ridiculous ex-dictator was proving to be more difficult than Rhys had really bargained for. All his life he’d wanted nothing more than to meet Handsome Jack, nothing more than to bow at his feet and fawn over his absolute hero, his idol…but he’d never signed up for sharing a body with the guy.

“Rhysie, Rhysie, Rhysie, c’mon now pumpkin you’re hurtin’ ol’ Handsome Jack’s feelings. Really for someone so utterly obsessed with me, you’d think you would be a little more excited about having me as a body roommate.” Jack growled as Rhys continued forward, walking straight through the cyan hologram and heading off in the same direction they’d been wandering in for hours.

Rhys chose not to answer the phantom floating around in his head and pressed forward without another word, a very concerned Vaughn in tow.

“Ok, I see how it is princess. We’re doing the whole ignore me thing. Y’know you are getting pretty good at it. I applaud your self-control.” Jack snapped flickering out of sight once more; retreating back into what Rhys assumed was the deeper parts of his head.

“But seriously kiddo I’m bored out of my friggin’ mind here! You’re no fun at all.” Jack complained from behind Rhys’ temple.

Rhys shook his head in utter defeat. Really all he wanted was some peace and quiet…and a shower…and some food possibly...ok so he had a rather long list of the things he actually wanted, but peace would be nice none the less.

Rhys suddenly felt an uncomfortable pressure on the left side of his brain and he winced harshly. Good god Jack just wouldn’t leave him the fuck alone. Jack had to be the absolute worst house guest Rhys had ever come across, constantly poking and prodding where he shouldn’t, he was like a little kid left alone for five minutes, just enough time to absolutely trash everything.

Hours later the pair…or trio…whichever way you looked at it, dragged themselves up over the nearest sand dune. A flashing blue light stood posted at the bottom, huddled near a cliff base. Rhys knew that faint little glow all too well.

A fast travel station.

A godsend if he had ever seen one.

Rhys made an utterly pitiful sound in his throat and attempted to take another step, his body shaking, his legs threatening to give out at any second. The heat boring down on him, the hot air being sucked into his lungs every time he breathed, it was all too much. Rhys lifted his leg to attempt forward motion and instead fell face forward down into the sand with a soft thud.

Vaughn paused halfway down the dune to turn back suddenly.

“Rhys!!” Vaughn yelled out hurrying toward his friend’s limp body nestled in an unnatural position on the sand.

Vaughn skidded to Rhys’ side, kicking up a small cloud of dust in the process, he hauled Rhys up into his arms, shaking him slightly and calling out to his friend, only to have his voice fall on deaf ears. Rhys opened his mouth, his tongue so dry and his cheeks sticky with lack of moisture. He was so thirsty…and so tired, he just couldn’t do it, he couldn’t go another step. His bones would just not allow such a thing.

“God damned it Rhys! We’re almost there! Don’t make me drag you!” Vaughn pleaded helplessly, looking up into the clear warm skies then down at his half unconscious friend.

Rhys nodded in and out of it like some yo-yo on a string, struggling to come back into himself but failing miserably. With that, Rhys’ eyes fluttered closed and he went limp in Vaughn’s arms, sinking into an unconscious state gently.

Vaughn yelled out to his partner, suddenly uncaring of the volume of his voice and the fact that he could attract unwanted attention from bandits or wildlife at any second. His state deteriorated quickly into blind panic, looking helplessly to the fast travel station just at the bottom of the massive dune, so close and yet so far away. Vaughn was exhausted too, and he damned sure knew he didn’t have the strength to drag his friend. He looked around helplessly, cursing Rhys and cursing the dirt and cursing the sun. He cursed them all because it was really all he could do.

Vaughn lifted up, running his hands through is hair irritably, yelling out to nobody in particular. Vaughn kicked at the sand and grabbed at his locks, angry at this stupid planet and all this stupid dirt. Dirt in every direction, nothing but fucking dirt.

Rhys was right. Vaughn would never in a million years admit that out loud, but Rhys was.

They weren’t cut out for this planet.

This was a place reserved for the strongest, most ruthless, wild natured of people. This place had no room for the soft and the meek. This planet was a rough mother she was not kind to her people or her inhabitants. Out here it was kill or be killed, Rhys was right…about the only thing they had on their side…was luck. Luck was the only reason they were alive right now honestly. Not their ability to adapt to the rough nature of this world. Not their skills, not their weapons. What skills and weaponry did they even have in all honesty? As far as weapons went Vaughn had a cool atlas wrist device they had found when they first came across the Gortys…which really wasn’t a weapon at all…and Rhys had a shock stick thing. So much for being ‘armed and dangerous’. As far as skills went Vaughn was pretty good with technology and computers…not like that did much good around here, and Rhys was good at charming his way out of situations, which would most likely result in both of them just getting raped on this scum sack of a world. That wasn’t exactly the turn of events Vaughn wanted…like at all. He’d rather keep himself un-raped and happy if that was an option.

Vaughn looked down at Rhys again.

“God damned it Rhys why now!!??” Vaughn snarled shaking his fist at the lump of a human at his feet.

Suddenly the ear splitting sound of rakks calling to each other above their heads rattled Vaughn’s senses. Vaughn paused, watching in horror as a big, black shadow swam over Rhys’ still form and floated over the sand in a circular, lazy motion. The shorter man crooned his head backward and shielded his eyes from the sun. Big, leathery wings blocked out the sun from time to time as the massive animals began circling high in the sky, gently coming closer with each rotation. Vaughn could count four of the big, vicious looking creatures, but a quick glance over the horizon gave proof that more were on their way, attracted by the calls of their counterparts.

Great, Vaughn thought in terror, they were about to become an easy lunch for a bunch of bat-dragon looking demons. That was exactly how he wanted his day to go when he’d rolled out of bed this morning. Eaten by rakks.

Vaughn snapped down to Rhys’ limp body and shook him hard, frantic and fearful.

“Rhys if you don’t get up in about two seconds were about to become fast food!!!” Vaughn pleaded slapping Rhys’ cheek hard, the unconscious man’s head lolling to the side with the impact.

“Rhys!!!” Vaughn yelled rearing back to slap Rhys once more.

Before Vaughn’s open palm could make contact again, Rhys’ hand snapped upward and grabbed Vaughn’s wrist, stopping him in his tracks. Vaughn looked on wide eyed and confused as Rhys’ eyelids snapped open and settled on Vaughn fiercely.

“I swear to god kiddo if you slap me one more time, I will _end_ you.” Rhys snarled holding onto Vaughn’s wrist for just a tad longer than the standard second and the motion began to creep into the ‘threatening’ category.

Rhys let go of Vaughn’s wrist and Vaughn scrambled backward in the sand, looking skyward once more.

“Rhys?” Vaughn questioned slowly.

Really he already knew the answer to that. He knew. That wasn’t Rhys, that gruff, tattered quip that trailed the syllables coming off Rhys’ tongue, that wasn’t Rhys.

“Oh for shit’s sake. Can’t this idiot stay out of trouble for like five minutes?” Rhys snarled getting to his knees and pressing up into an unsteady standing position.

Nope, not Rhys.

Vaughn sighed out heavily.

Here we go, Vaughn thought irritably.

Rhys…Jack… looked skyward, cursing out as the rakk began closing in, close enough to feel the wind of their beating wings.

“You two got any guns?” Jack snapped looking to Vaughn sharply.

Vaughn shook his head.

“Knives? Swords?” Jack rattled off the questions as he began slowly backing up down the dune, Vaughn mirroring his movements unsurely.

Vaughn shook his head again feebly.

“Oh my god how the friggin hell have you two _survived_ this long??? I mean really, REALLY? You’d have thought by now you woulda picked a gun up off some dead guy or sumthin, it isn’t like there’s a lack of that around here. Dead guys or guns. ” Jack barked through snarled teeth and Vaughn swallowed hard.

“I-I’ve never shot a gun…so I wouldn’t even know how to use it.” Vaughn snipped back quickly becoming angry with his new counterpart’s attitude toward the situation.

Jack slapped his palm over his forehead and ran it down his borrowed cheek.

“Of course.” Jack muttered.

“Should we run?” Vaughn hissed lowly.

“NO. Do not do that you idiot. Just don’t make any sudden movements, and do not run until I friggin say so. I mean unless you want your eyeballs eaten out. If that’s the case by all means run and scream.” Jack growled lowly his eyes narrowing at the russet haired man.

“Rhys has a stun baton.” Vaughn said his eyes lighting up for a moment.

Jack rolled his eyes and groaned out.

“Oh yeah the stupid stick. You two come to Pandora…from Hyperion, you know my company, that makes the highest tech weapons this side of the galaxy…and your buddy brings a stick. A freaking stick.” Jack laughed out sarcastically reaching to Rhys’ belt and bringing forth the baton.

“WAS your company. Was. Past tense.” Vaughn corrected darkly.

Jack shot him a displeased look, and Vaughn feared his punishment may have been a lot worse than just an ugly glance if it had not been for the impending doom coming down upon them in the form of winged hell beasts.

“We’ll come back to this later…little man.” Jack warned viciously, his stolen voice dipping to a low, dangerous place.

Before another word could be thrown between the two men, one of the big creatures got ballsy and swooped down, attempting to collide with Jack, mouth full of teeth wide and ready. Jack ducked at the last moment, flicking the baton on and shoving the electrified end into the monster’s gullet. The rakk made a deafening cry and crashed into the sand, sending sheets of dirt up in its landing, thrashing wildly on the ground.

“NOW RUN!!!” Jack yelled darting down the sand dune, the smaller man following close behind.

The creatures began to dive and swoop in a vicious flurry of black wings and fangs. The two men ducked and rolled through the sand, sliding down the dune with clumsy, frantic feet. Vaughn hit the bottom first, having caught a nasty gash from one of the rakk’s sharp spikes, his forearm dripping blood down onto the red sand. He didn’t dare let it deter him. It was either run or die. He’d made it through bandit death races, vault hunters, and the wrath of several crossed criminals, he wasn’t about to be done in by a bunch of big ugly beasts.

Vaughn hit the ground running, shoes thudding over the soft sand, pushing as hard as he could to make it to the fast travel station. Jack was hot on his heels, looking backward over his shoulder at the enraged monsters casting shadows over them. Vaughn got to the station and opened up the menu frantically.

Three Horns Valley. That’s where they were headed.

Vaughn looked back to make sure the other man was in range.

“What the hell are you waiting for!!!??? PUNCH IT!!!” Jack bellowed.

Vaughn slammed the lever down on the fast travel machine and suddenly everything went white. Vaughn closed his eyes and yelled out as his body felt like it was being torn in two halves. Everything around him was a whirlwind of white and cold, like chilled lightening coursing through him, white hot and mean.

Then suddenly it all stopped. Vaughn hit the ground hard, splaying out on his back, gasping and sputtering, clutching at his chest wildly. His fingers curled around his white button down shirt, palms patting over his arms, his face. He was all in one piece much to his relief. The small man rolled onto his side, curling in on himself as a wave of gut wrenching nausea washed over him.

Vaughn groaned out and closed his eyes in dismay, trying to will the sick feeling away in vain. He felt like his organs had been taken out, rearranged, and then stuffed back into his gut. He’d never felt something so absolutely awful.

Was this what fast travel always felt like? He wondered suddenly. If so this was the absolute worst. Vaughn clutched his stomach and writhed on the ground, trying to think about anything, absolutely anything but vomiting.

Suddenly there was a coughing noise just to his right. Vaughn looked up just in time to see Jack leaned over a nearby rock wrenching whatever little contents were left in his stomach out onto the ground. He gagged and spit, shaking a little as he let loose of it, pausing there to make sure his body was done with its little vomiting fit.

“Obviously your little buddy isn’t used to fast travel huh?” Jack coughed wiping his mouth angrily and brushing the little bit of stomach contents Rhys’ pants.

“No…and neither am I…does it feel like this all the time?” Vaughn whined from the ground, still tucked into an utterly pathetic fetal position.

“First few times yeah. C’mon don’t be a puss, it’s not that bad. Woulda been easier if you just up-chucked and got it the hell over with.” Jack snapped cracking his neck the side and following up with all his knuckles, groaning out in a satisfied fashion.

“I don’t want to puke.” Vaughn snarled from the ground.

“Fine lay there and get eaten by some other beast that comes along. Really it doesn’t make a difference to me. Rhys is the one that gives two shits about you, not me. Don’t mistake the two kiddo.” Jack hissed dusting off Rhys’ sleeves and flexing his cybernetic arm, making sure the travel hadn’t knocked any of his mechanics out of whack.

Finding everything in working order Jack stepped directly over Vaughn and the shorter man finally managed to make it up onto his two shaky feet.

Vaughn paused and soaked in their surroundings, they seemed to be smack dab in the middle of a small settlement. Vaughn’s eyes then settled over the large iron pig, seeming to be made out of trash and scrap, underneath it in splattered words it read ‘The Happy Pig Motel’.

A motel, Vaughn thought almost wanting to get down on his knees and cry in relief. A bed, and a shower, the hope of food and possibly a good night’s sleep.

“Oh thank god.” Vaughn moaned out heading for the front office, leaving Jack to stand there his arms folded in a scrutinizing fashion as he looked at the great sign.

“Save your thanks. All this means is we get to sleep in bed bug, bandit filth invested beds and eat spoiled food. I’m really not down for any of that cupcake.” Jack snarled obviously not sharing the russet haired man’s enthusiasm.

Vaughn shook his head and chose to simply ignore the other man’s brat like behavior. Vaughn really hoped Rhys would come to soon…because he was already growing tired of having to deal with his less than ideal counterpart that was for damned sure.

 


	2. Used Sheets and Warm Pillows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the record in this story I consider Jack pansexual and Rhys gay, just thought I would throw that out there. Vaughn and Rhys have an un-breakable bro bond in this story, but nothing romantic wise. Rhys and Vaughn are stuck in the tug between right and wrong and are having to deal with the decisions they have made. ;3; Also smut. There's smut. Enjoy :D

Used Sheets and Warm Pillows

The door kicked against the small cowbell attached to the frame as it came open on its old hinges, the two men’s entry signaled by the off tone chime. Vaughn went in first, stepping into the tattered old front office with hesitation clinging to his every slow step. Vaughn was just beginning to understand that absolutely every establishment on this stupid planet looked like it had been built out of garbage. The walls were a mismatched collection of samples from different wallpaper patterns, some ripped away in areas, exposing bare wood walls. Vaughn’s shoes creaked over the ancient flooring, and for a moment he was half concerned he might just fall straight through.

Jack seemed…even more unnerved by the entire ordeal. Flinching away dramatically anytime his fingers came too close to any sort of furniture, acting as if the things were snakes that could just come out and bite him at any given moment.

Vaughn just chose to ignore his unwanted company’s over exaggerated display of disgust.

The shorter man made his way to the front desk, instantly feeling a dark glare piercing through his very being. Vaughn met eyes with a bright blue set of orbs, beautiful in the same sense that they were absolutely dangerous. Just like everything else that wandered over Pandora, there was danger there, in the form of a very beautiful, well-endowed woman. Vaughn didn’t let her beauty fool him. That was just one of the many little lessons he’d learned in his short time down on this place…never trust anything. No matter how pretty it was. Sometimes it was the prettiest of things that were the most terrifying. The pretty things were the ones that could take your head off.

The woman tucked a tuft of bleached blonde hair behind her ear and blew a large bubble with her gum, allowing it to pop over her lips loudly, only to smack it back into her mouth.

“What’s wrong with yer friend?” The woman drawled slowly, pointing a less than excited finger at the taller male, who was busy backing away from the couch to the left that looked like it had seen definitely better days, and had long since outlived its useful years.

Vaughn paused to look at Jack with annoyance heavy on his brow.

“He’s just tired.” Vaughn sighed loudly, coming to rest his elbows on the front desk.

“Yeah tired, tired of you not listening to me when I say I am absolutely NOT staying here.” Jack snarled viciously.

Vaughn turned around with flames flickering in his eyes. He was damned sure not about to let the whiny ex-Hyperion CEO ruin this for him. He just wanted a fucking bed to sleep in, was that too much to ask??

“What’s wrong princess. Not good enough for _your_ standards.” The woman questioned her voice lazy and un-enthused.

“As a matter of fact, it’s not. Not even close. This-“ Jack paused to gesture at his surroundings “ Is _way_ beneath me cupcake.” He finished snarky tone hot and heavy on his tongue.

The woman cocked a thin eyebrow in the clean cut man’s direction. She had to hand it to him, at least he had spunk. Her languid eyes then fell on the Hyperion logo sprawled across his vest front. Well that explained a lot.

“Oh. Shoulda known you was a Hyperion fuck boy. You’s pretty. Betcha you’re friend here is payin' a lot of money to keep you for the night. You some important bastard huh little guy? Must be if ya had to take him way out here justa fuck him.” The woman chuckled her cheap red lipstick stained lips curling up in a wicked smile.

Vaughn shot her a disgusted look in unison with Jack bursting out in laughter.

“Wha-no…that’s not what this is at all.” Vaughn began his mouth falling open a little.

The woman behind the counter’s smile only widened with the dumbfounded look and hint of pink scattering across the small man’s cheeks.

“Oh what’s wrong sweet cheeks. Embarrassed of me now?” Jack purred, pouting as he came up behind Vaughn, attempting to slide his fingers through the shorter man’s hair.

First off it was just wrong to see Rhys’ lips conformed into such a ridiculously sexy pout, and second Vaughn was not about to just go along with Jack’s stupid shenanigans. Vaughn writhed out of Jack’s grip and shot him an utterly revolted look.

“Stop!” Vaughn barked through snarled teeth, his glasses sliding down his nose slightly.

“You won’t be saying stop here in about twenty minutes…” Jack sniggered wriggling a finger into Vaughn’s belt loop and attempting to drag the small man toward him.

“Then it will be along the lines of ‘ _Don’t stop! Don’t stop! Ohhh Jack don’t stop!’_ ” Jack mimicked in an obscenely high pitch voice and Vaughn was just about ready to strangle the other man, whether or not he looked like his best friend.

The woman looked on with snide amusement, she hadn’t had this much excitement all day, and she was just eating it up like a four course meal.

“We need a room.” Vaughn hissed trying to ignore Jack trying to tug teasingly at his shirt tails.

“I kinda gathered that.” The woman cooed back.

“It’s eighteen for the night. Twenty if you have company.” The woman’s eyes shifted to the pretty man beside the short male that was busy clinging to him like Velcro.

“So twenty for the room lovebirds.” She said cracking her gum loudly and shifting it in her mouth.

“We are not…not…oh forget it. Here.” Vaughn snarled shoving his fingers into his front pocket irritably and shoving a wrinkled wad of cash across the counter toward the woman.

She took the sad crumple of bills that had certainly seen better days and smoothed them out one by one, painfully slowly over the edge of the counter. Vaughn groaned out loudly and her eyes flicked up to him, one eyebrow cocked high and annoying.

“Hold yer horses. Ya got all night.” She stated in a deadpan tone, chewing the gum loudly between her teeth.

Finally she seemed to finish counting the loose bills and reached beneath the counter to a drawer, pulling out a single key with a number plate hanging off its ring. She dropped the small thing into Vaughn’s open palm and grunted at the russet haired customer.

“Check out is at one. Not out by then the boss will come round with his pet skag and fed ya to him fer breakfast. Got it?” The woman hissed her tone never wavering, simply holding its dead, droning sound.

Vaughn nodded angrily and turned to head out the door.

Jack paused for a moment to lean over the counter throwing a slick, devious grin in the young woman’s direction.

“You know, if you wanted a night with me, I’d give it to you free of charge kitten.” Jack swooned running his borrowed tongue over his lips slowly.

The woman quirked her lip up at the bold man and chuckled, leaning back in her old desk chair with a loud creak.

“Maybe you should stop in when I get off. This mouth isn’t just for lookin’ pretty and makin' smart ass remarks.” She said slyly flicking her bangs out of her eyes.

Jack shuddered slightly and grinned in return.

“Errr what time do you get off…?” Jack questioned throwing the woman an absolutely perfect smile.

At least the kid was good for something, he was a looker and that was of use to Jack. So the snot nosed kid wasn’t _completely_ useless, Jack had to admit. He could have gotten stuck with someone a lot less…attractive. At least Rhys could somewhat pull of Jack’s confidence.

“JACK!” Vaughn barked from the door.

“Midnight if yer interested big boy. Ya know if the little guy doesn’t tire you out too much.” The woman hissed offering Jack a wink and a smile before he took his leave.

Jack growled under his breath before slipping out the door only to nearly smack right into a very displeased Vaughn.

Vaughn shoved a finger into Jack’s chest, trying to puff himself up to seem as big as possible next to his much taller partner.

“You will NOT use my best friend’s body to fuck randoms!!!” Vaughn snarled angrily shaking his finger in front of Jack’s nose before turning heel and heading to their room.

“Oh I wasn’t _actually_ going to fuck her. Seriously I mean did you SEE her overbite, I mean woah-oh, naw naw I don’t dip my cock in bandits little guy. Liable to catch some dick rot or something.” Jack chuckled sauntering behind the clearly annoyed other man.

“Doesn’t mean I can’t mess with her. I don’t get this kind of entertainment cupcake. Rhys is rather boring normally, you know when I gotta ride back seat and stuff.” Jack grumbled as Vaughn jingled the key into the door lock and shoved it open irritably.

“Personally I like Rhys as his normal, boring, self.” Vaughn hissed following the amber haired male inside and closing the door, paying careful mind to bolt all the ten locks running down the frame.

He wasn’t about to take chances. They were in the middle of bandit territory, knee deep in monsters and shady strangers, and all Vaughn wanted was to just make it to Opportunity alive. That was it.

Jack sashayed over to the bed on the left side of the room, one of two, and flopped backward onto the surface. It wasn’t so bad he supposed, if he pushed aside all the thoughts of how many nasty bandit one night stands most likely happened on these sheets.

Jack grimaced at the visualization and folded his arms up behind his head.

“Oh you’re boring too, jeezus does nobody know how to have a little fun anymore?” Jack complained closing his eyes and shifting on the mattress.

“You’re idea of fun is pretending like I’d hired you for sex. I don’t find that fun.” Vaughn snapped viciously.

He may have been a little guy, but he had the temper of an alpha skag with a toothache. Jack liked his spirit. The guy may have been a class-A nerd cake but well at least he was entertaining.

“Ohhhhh come onnnn that was hilarious kiddo.” Jack argued grinning wryly.

Vaughn didn’t answer, simply sat down on the edge of his bed, back turned to the other man. It was wrong to watch his friend’s body being used to act in such a ridiculous way. Vaughn was instantly wondering how Jack could even stand himself, much less anybody else. Rhys must be going through hell and a half having to share a body with the maniac…no wonder Rhys was so eager to get Jack and himself separated, Vaughn thought to himself in dismay.

Jack let loose of a large sigh and after a while he no longer moved, having drifted off into heavy slumber. Little sounds of sleep were the only noises coming from his lips anymore. Vaughn turned to look over at the occupied other bed and slowly crossed the room. He reached out to shake his friend’s shoulder softly, hoping with all his heart that it would be Rhys when he awoke and not the Ex-CEO. The taller young man awoke to Vaughn’s prodding with a snort and a startle, sitting straight up in the bed suddenly.

“Wha-wha, I’m up! What happened?? Where am I??” Rhys babbled in fear and Vaughn sighed outwardly in relief.

It was Rhys, awkward, easy going, clumsy Rhys, and Vaughn had never been more thankful for that fact.

“Oh thank god.” Vaughn groaned out his shoulders falling in heavy thanks.

Rhys offered him a confused glance his eyes still blurred with sleep and his brain still utterly scrambled, trying to put the pieces back together in vain.

“You passed out bro.” Vaughn added the comment, trying to help his confused counterpart out.

Rhys made a regretful noise in his throat.

“Jack…?” Rhys asked meekly.

“Oh yeah. Had to deal with his ridiculous ass the past two hours. I don’t know how you haven’t been driven to insanity yet with that maniac up in your head.” Vaughn grumbled shaking his head and looking down at his wounded arm.

He hadn’t bothered with cleaning it just yet, he’d been too overwhelmed with the glorious promise of a hotel room. Rhys just grunted at the comment. He’d rather not even begin to scratch the surface with all of that. He was pretty sure he was pretty well on the fast track to insanity…he didn’t need Vaughn reminding him of that.

Rhys gently touched Vaughn’s wounded limb, concern spreading over his expression.

“What happened to your arm?” Rhys questioned.

Vaughn shrugged and acted as if the nasty gash were nothing to be concerned about.

“Rakks nearly had us for lunch…at least that… _thing_... in your head is good for something. At least he knows how to survive on this planet.” Vaughn snarled grimacing.

Rhys sighed heavily.

“Well let’s just get this cleaned up.” Rhys whispered bringing himself up off of the bed and wandering over to the bathroom cabinets, rummaging through them until he came away with a first aid kit.

Gentle hands cradled his friend’s wounded arm, dabbing it in disinfectant and wrapping it in gauze. Rhys could sense the tension in Vaughn’s form. There was something going unsaid between the two of them.

“Rhys…?” Vaughn questioned finally.

“Yeah…?” Rhys answered finishing the bandage job on the ugly wound and looking over his handy work with a satisfied mumble.

“Do you think…do you think we’re doing the right thing?” Vaughn asked turning to his best friend, his eyes wide with concern.

Rhys sucked in a slow breath. If he was going to be totally honest with himself, even he had questioned their latest decisions several times over. But he wasn’t going to let that keep him from reassuring his friend that this was all going to be ok, that they had made the right choice.

“This was the best option Vaughn.” Rhys sighed looking down at his boots in dismay.

Vaughn shared his friends sagging appearance. They were both caught between the lines of good and bad and right and wrong. This planet was good at that, muddying the borders between the right thing and the wrong thing. There was no good or bad here, there was just survival…and that was it.

“But do you think…Jack is trustworthy…?” Vaughn whispered.

“Trustworthy…well no…not really, not all the time…but I think he’s being serious with this. He seemed genuine about it anyway…I guess we’ll just have to take that risk.” Rhys shrugged.

“I just…I can’t be stuck like this forever…I’m tired of not being able to control my own body…Hyperion technology is the only thing I can fathom that will have the slightest chance of separating us…” Rhys continued closing his eyes softly.

Vaughn nodded thoughtfully.

“I know man…” Vaughn whispered slowly.

Silence settled heavy over the two boys. They knew the choice they had made was questionable to say the very least. It had come down to either choosing to keep evading Hyperion and the bounty the company had put on their heads…or turn themselves in. Jack had swooned Rhys with promise of wealth beyond their wildest dreams. He’d promised them safety…if they would just return him to Hyperion hands. Running with bandits was not for them, they weren’t cut out for the wilds of Pandora. They were Hyperion lackeys, only having come down to this rotten planet with the promise of getting rich…so when Jack had made such a proposition…it had been hard to pass up. Get rich and not get killed? It seemed like a win for both of them. Jack had buttered Rhys up with big promises of a shared throne at Hyperion, riches that could set them up for life. Of course Rhys had been unwilling to take the deal without including Vaughn in it. Jack had reluctantly agreed. If the two of them took Jack safely back to Hyperion…they would both have it all.

As grand as it seemed, it did not change the fact that they had gone behind their comrade’s backs. Sasha and Fiona may have been shady in the beginning…but Rhys and Vaughn had grown to consider them friends…though now that was all dust in the wind. That was all left behind the morning they decided to leave. They had betrayed their friends for the promise of wealth…Rhys supposed they truly were Hyperion assholes through and through now. They were no better than any of the other awful bastards that made up Hyperion. You wave a few million dollars under their noses and they come like horses to water. Rhys sighed. So this was what betraying friends felt like? Rhys had betrayed a lot in his lifetime…but never friends. No…that was low even for him. He valued his friendships more than anything else. But they had made their beds…now they had to lay in them. This would all be a distant memory once Rhys got Jack out of his head, and was sitting pretty on a big mound of money.

“Hey…here soon…we will be so rich none of this will matter.” Rhys reassured his partner with a hesitant smile.

Vaughn chuckled quietly.

“Yeah…I guess you’re right. I can’t wait to have a Jacuzzi in my bathroom.” Vaughn joked softly.

Rhys let loose of a louder laugh.

“And a brand new suit that costs more than a car.” Rhys replied, a silly grin clinging to his lips.

“What do you think they’re going to do with Jack’s AI? Stick it in a big ass computer or something?” Vaughn questioned suddenly.

Rhys shook his head.

“No idea. I’m sure they’ve got big plans for it…or else they wouldn’t want it this bad. Maybe they’ll make some super weapon out of it.” Rhys shrugged.

“I really hope they don’t do that. Then they’d just have a big super weapon that tries to hit on everybody and calls people 'cupcake' all the time.” Vaughn chuckled.

The two boys shared in the laughter for a moment then Vaughn lifted up of the bed.

“I’m gunna take a shower.” Vaughn sighed rubbing the back of his neck.

“And I’ll go raid the vending machine, see if I can get us some food.” Rhys nodded.

With that Vaughn was gone into the bathroom and Rhys paused there on the bed for a moment.

He really hoped Jack was being truthful about all of this…for Vaughn. Even if Rhys got screwed over…that didn’t matter, he just wanted Vaughn to be ok. The guy certainly deserved it, after everything he’d been through, always right there by Rhys’ side through thick and thin.

Rhys made a short trip to the old vending machine just outside of their motel room, collecting an armful of chips and snacks, picking up two sodas to go along with them. It wasn’t exactly a four course meal, but Rhys was pretty sure he’d never seen anything more beautiful in all his life. His stomach had resorted to gnawing through his backbone, so really at this point, ANY food was much appreciated.

The two best friends sat on the same bed, Vaughn’s hair still wet, just a towel wrapped around his waist to keep him modest. Rhys had kicked off his shoes and opted to strip down to his boxers. The room was good shelter, but even with the rickety AC in the corner trying its hardest the place was still uncomfortably hot. But neither of them were about to start complaining. They had beds that weren’t made of cardboard and garbage and that sure as hell was enough for them. The two counterparts crunched on snacks, stuffing chips into their mouths greedily, going through bag after bag. They sipped their off-brand sodas and laughed about all the shit they’d been through…and how nice it was going to be to get back to civilization. They talked of how they missed their warm showers, central heat and air, and the view from Helios. Pandora was pretty from far away…but less so up close and personal. After the food was gone, empty bags being the only proof it ever existed Vaughn retreated to his own bed. Good-nights were had and Rhys allowed himself a quick shower before laying down.

The young man laid out on the old mattress, hands folded over his chest gently, eyes settled up on the stained ceiling. He breathed out slowly into the darkness of the room. He knew the hour was late, the proof being the small digital clock on the bedside table between the two boys, flashing red numbers that told him it was nearly three in the morning. Rhys sighed. They finally had a decent place to sleep and all he could do was lie there wide awake. His brain just wouldn’t seem to settle, filled with disconcerting thoughts and concerns. Writhing and turning like some wild, untamed thing.

He flopped over onto his side and whined lowly. He just wanted to sleep. That was it. Was that too much to ask at this point? He was tired…so tired. But the thoughts of Jack, and Hyperion, and everything else just wouldn’t shake.

Suddenly there was a blue flicker just to his left. Rhys turned to peer hesitantly over his shoulder, only to be met by two cyan orbs that he knew all too well. Rhys groaned and flopped out onto the bed. Great, he thought. This was the absolute last thing he needed.

Jack’s hologram sprawled out in the empty space of the bed next to him, arms crisscrossed up behind his head, precariously managing to not just sink right into the bedding despite being transparent.

“Soooo what’s on your mind buddy?” Jack questioned in that slick, sing song tone of his.

Rhys just grimaced and hugged against his pillow tighter, back turned to his unwanted company.

“Nothing.” Rhys whispered pointedly.

“You know we could play this little game all night, or we could just get to the point cupcake. You’re afraid of me double crossing you huh pumpkin? Aw I’m hurt.” Jack pouted playfully.

Rhys rolled his eyes.

“Yeah fine. I am. How do I know I can really trust you anyway?” Rhys snarled over his shoulder.

The hologram sat up, lifting a thin brow at Rhys.

“Rhysie, c’monnn your old pal Jack isn’t gunna back stab you. Look, Rhys…Rhysie baby…you, me, we want the same things. I want my throne back, you want a throne of your own. Vasquez screwed you out of what _belonged_ to you. I’m here to give it back.” Jack swooned turning over to come closer to Rhys, his lips mere inches from Rhys’ ear.

Rhys could feel the cold chill of static creep up his spine and his echo port began to ache with the tingle of the hologram’s closeness. It wasn’t a bad ache, just a strange, uncomfortable feeling that had Rhys caught between liking it and despising it and god was it ever confusing. Jack was good at that, making him hate and want all in the same breath.

“We are gunna walk into Opportunity like kings. People are going to bow at our freaking feet. I’m going to rule Hyperion again, and you will be friggin' bathing in gold kiddo. _Bathing_ in it. You’ve got potential kiddo. I mean you’re as clumsy as a newborn skag, but with time…oh I think I can shape you into something great. Something...powerful. Something grand.” Jack cooed his voice like velvet as it cascaded down Rhys’ ears.

The room was dark, comfortable…quiet…and Jack’s luscious words were warm and pleasant. Rhys swallowed them down with eager lips. To have his idol, his hero speak of him with such promise and praise…it had chills running rampant down the young man’s spine. Some deep part of Rhys seemed to know Jack was possibly just saying all the things Rhys wanted to hear…but then again part of him didn’t care. He needed to hear it, wanted to hear it all. Some sick reassurance that he was making the right decision, that his choice to trust Jack was one that would pan out well for him. That Jack cared about his well being. His tired brain needed to believe it all…and so he did. He let Jack pamper him with sly words and quick tongue.

“You and me kitten, we are in this together. We’re a team. Let me take care of you sweet cheeks. You’re in good hands…I _promise.”_ Jack purred. 

Rhys let go of a slow expel of breath, eyes slitting closed gently as he relished in Jack’s smooth words. Jack’s voice had Rhys melting into a pitiful puddle without his consent. Rhys wasn’t sure why he always let him do this. The first time he’d been ashamed…ashamed and guilty. The second time he’d just pretended it hadn’t happened. Or course he damned sure wouldn’t admit to actually _liking_ it. Well…not out loud at least. But Jack knew. He knew Jack knew. He shared every thought with the man, so of _course_ he knew. Did Jack use this little weakness against Rhys sometimes to get his way? Oh Rhys knew he did, but it wasn’t like in this moment he cared much.

“So kiddo, if you’re in, I’m in…do you trust me?” Jack growled his voice low and soft.

“Yes…” Rhys purred softly into the old pillow his words just barely audible to his counterpart’s ears.

A wicked, malicious grin spread like spider across Jack’s thin lips.

He had the kid just where he wanted him.

He had to have the kid’s trust, and he’d found this to be just the way to earn it. Going right to the kid’s embarrassing little obsession with the ex-CEO. Rhys having idolized Handsome Jack for near all his life just made this that much easier for the other man. Rhys was mere putty in his palms, ready to be molded at his will.

“Yes what cupcake?” Jack whispered his hologram sparking tingles through Rhys’ body with the close contact.

“Y-Yes Jack…I trust you.” Rhys near moaned his tone strained and useless.

Rhys should have been embarrassed with himself. He should have been embarrassed by the flush running like red stain over his pale cheeks. He should have been embarrassed by the way his breath came forth in ragged pants, laced with need and desire. He should have been embarrassed by the taught outline of his cock pressed flush against his grey boxer briefs. He should have been embarrassed by how absolutely hard and pitiful he was left, stroked to life by Jack’s teasing words alone.

“So whaddya say kiddo, how’s about we kiss and makeup?” Jack huffed warmly into Rhys’ ear.

The hologram had no pulse, not beating heart, no breath but god Rhys could swear he could feel Jack’s warm exhalation along his tender skin. All in his head or not, it still felt very much so real to the young man. Jack’s grin was hollow and haunting as it beamed down over the absolutely deteriorating young man. This was all too easy, Jack thought slyly.

With that, Jack was slowly teased the pad of his thumb around Rhys’ port, getting a low whimper from the helpless man. Jack’s finger was all white hot static as he pushed it into the gaping port, a shock and a shiver later, Rhys’ cybernetic arm was no longer his own. God he’d been here too many times before this. Captured like a rat in a trap by Jack’s persuasive ways. He was so helpless against them. Like a moth to the flame, he came back again and again without fail. In that moment it didn’t matter how disgusted Rhys would be with himself in the morning, it didn’t matter how angry he’d be with his weakness. Right now he just wanted the generous pleasure, the touching, the panting, the arching, the writhing, the throbbing…the cumming. God he wanted that sweet release he hadn’t had in days. The past week had been so unkind; the trials of wandering the desert, being so hot and so hungry, he’d had no time for himself. Now he just wanted to indulge a little…was that so wrong?

He longed for the heavy sleep that would come afterward and the wonderful feeling of weightlessness he would be left with.

So he let it happen, shamelessly, helplessly, he let it.

Rhys’ metal fingers that he no longer controlled traced trails down his slender torso, pausing at his jutting hipbone to draw slow, uneven circles across the skin. Rhys hissed and buried his bottom lip between his teeth. Suddenly it wasn’t his own arm, it was Jack’s, and when Rhys closed his eyes…everything was Jack. He could imagine Jack’s overbearing warmth pressed flush to his bare back, he could imagine Jack’s talented fingers running over him instead of his own. The cybernetics were cold to the touch, but in Rhys’ head they were so very warm. He let himself simply drown in a pool of imagined scenario. In Rhys’ head Jack was so very real, lips pressing flush to the nape of his neck, causing all the hairs to stand on end in unison. In his head Jack was all flesh and bone and god it was near more than Rhys could take.

The mechanical fingers made their way to Rhys’ boxer’s hem, teasing at the elastic playfully. Rhys breathed out into the pillow, human fingers curling up into the dirty sheets carelessly. Jack was such a tease, fingers pausing, fingers slow, fingers dancing over skin, sparking fires over Rhys’ body.

“You are going to be so _powerful_ Rhys.” Jack husked as metal fingers tugged Rhys’ boxers down, settling them around his thighs, allowing his swollen erection to spring free from the clothing.

Jack was instantly pleased to see Rhys was already viciously hard and dripping from words alone. The kid wouldn’t last long; he never did after Jack had stroked his dumb little ego so meticulously. Jack couldn’t blame the kid he supposed…well who _wouldn’t_ get off to the sound of his voice? It was fucking great, so that was only a natural reaction for anyone really, Jack thought grinning wryly.

“I’m going to make you _great_.” Jack continued, Rhys’ own fingers finally making contact with his throbbing cock.

Rhys made an embarrassing sound in his throat when Jack wrapped his palm around his livid member. He gasped and arched, already beyond the point of needy, and quickly shattering into the stages of ‘having to have it’. Under Jack’s control Rhys’ own fingers slid up his flushed cock, the metal smooth and solid against the throbbing flesh.

Rhys flexed into his own palm as Jack stroked upward painfully slowly. Flesh bundled beneath his fat head with each stroke, veins swelled and balls pulled tight to his body. Rhys let loose of whatever sliver of pride he still clung to and let Jack’s name fall heavy off his tongue. He was so hard, and he was so far gone.

“That’s it, say it again baby boy.” Jack praised smoothly, his tone low and vicious as it danced around Rhys’ form.

Rhys’ lithe body writhed against the mattress, bare feet sliding through wrinkled comforters, human fingers fisting and clenching around thin air. Rhys arched his neck backward, his brain running wild with thoughts of Jack all around him, slow lips kissing up his pulse, heavy and wanting as Rhys gave him more flesh to pamper. Pale neck was flushed and thin chest was heaving, his free arm coming up to splay carelessly over his head, running through wild amber locks. The boy’s disheveled form was almost enough to make Jack’s heart ache. Well...if he had one. He liked that the kid needed him so badly. He liked that the kid made this so fucking _easy._ The kid came back to drink from the pool again and again and in this moment he was so thirsty for the tall glass of water that Jack was. Jack could make him feel whole and filled. Jack could make him feel _pleasured._

“Jack!...H-Handsome Jack!!” Rhys moaned louder, the possibility of Vaughn hearing him slipping from his mind.

He didn’t care if Vaughn heard him, or the whole hotel heard him. He didn’t care about anything else except _getting there._

Rhys’ stolen fingers were quick, and fluid. They knew just where to touch, just where to squeeze. The circle of his fingers wrung a thick tear of pre-cum out of his tip, flat thumb coming to spread the fluid out over his rosy head. The young man throbbed and flexed into each motion from Jack, and though the AI couldn’t technically _feel_ it, it was still fiercely arousing. Jack could sample all of the young man’s arousal through him, getting a ghostly taste of what it all felt like. God he missed this. Missed the feeling of building pleasure, knowing orgasm was creeping and closing in. He missed that breathtaking moment of release. All he could feel was the dull ache it left his program with, feeling only a mere fraction of what his host did…but it was better than nothing.

Rhys was a hot mess of curses and prayers, begging Jack for more his mouth gaping open wide and breathless.

“You’re such a good little boy Rhys, listening to my every command. Oh you’re so …fucking…good.” Jack snarled to the young man and it was all molten on Rhys’ ears.

Rhys bucked into the mechanical fingers, flopping onto his back, hips lifting off the bed involuntarily. The kid’s eyes were screwed shut tight and Jack was eagerly viewing the pornographic slideshow running through the other man’s head with pleased eyes.

Rhys could only desperately imagine how soft Jack’s actual hand would be, how his teeth would feel sinking into his flushed flesh, how his body would feel eagerly grinding against Rhys’.

It was all too much, it was all too hot and too heavy.

“You gunna cum for me cupcake?” Jack hissed slickly, teeth bared, eyes vicious.

That was all Rhys needed, hopelessly high on Jack’s praise and the motion from his own palm, he was there. Rhys’ hips vaulted upward, mouth hanging open in a weak oval, eyebrows pushed together in a desperate expression of pure ecstasy. A flood of warm tension ran from Rhys’ torso all the way down to his thighs, muscles twitching with the onset of hard orgasm. Rhys came between his frantic fingers, cock pulsating and jumping with each expulsion of finish. Thick ropes of cum strung between his prick and his chest, his cock spending itself uselessly over himself. Rhys moaned and panted, thrusting into his mechanical hand as he rode out the mind numbing orgasm, Jack’s name thick on his tongue as he finished. His spent dick wept thick fluid down onto the cybernetic fingers, making a mess of himself and the bed he lay in. Cum mixed with the coarse hairs of his groin, leaving him rendered uncomfortably sticky with finish and sweat.

Rhys panted into the still air thickly; chest heaving and fingers dabbling in the heavy finish teasingly. Jack’s low chuckle was haunting on Rhys’ ears, and slowly Rhys sunk into the guilty aftermath of being so absolutely weak against the Hyperion king’s swooning. His locks lay a wreck over his slick forehead, body a disheveled mess as he was washed in shame.

 “Shit…” Rhys breathed lowly as his eyes came open just barely, colliding with the dirty ceiling once more.

With that Jack let loose of control over Rhys’ hand, the limb falling boneless to the sheets beside the wrecked young man.

“See kiddo…we just make such a good team. Don’t you worry your pretty little head kiddo…you and me, we are going places cupcake…” Jack hissed his voice echoing around the still room and invading Rhys’ nerves like ghostly static.

“Grand places.” Jack finished his tone full of malice and bad intentions.

 

 

 


	3. One Way Ticket

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Making it back to Opportunity isn't going to be as easy as these boys thought. Train rides and gunfights ahead kiddies ;)

One Way Ticket

 

Rhys’ fleshed fingers curl around the little piece of paper in his hand. The lettering scrawled over its tiny form is only a heavy reminder to Rhys of where he has been and where he is going.

 

**ONE WAY/ FROM: THREE HORNS VALLEY/ TO: OPPROTUNITY**

 

Rhys sighed, a sound that came from deep within the cavities of his body, expelling over chapped lips threatening to bleed even with the slightest of motion. He was tired. He hadn’t slept. He was guilty. Rightfully so. Guilty for thinking that this was a good idea. Guilty for listening to the ghost floating around behind his temples. Guilty for leaving his friends for riches. Guilty for the little ache formed far down in his stomach that kept reminding him of the night previous. That little sting that got up behind his spine and sent cold chills through his limbs. A painful little reminder that he was without a doubt going insane. Jack was a man of power. A man that had worked and clawed his way to the very top with all nails and teeth. Rhys just wanted the same thing. He wanted to be everything Jack was. A self-made man. He wanted that power. He wanted the taste of it in the back of his throat. What he’d gotten was a confusing feeling that was half attraction, half disgust.

 

It is not a pleasant feeling.

 

It is only something Rhys can describe as a similar feeling to swallowing a package of thumbtacks and feeling them scratch all the way down. Where he thought he would get fulfillment and reward, he only got the sense of sinking farther and farther into a pit of tar. He wasn’t even sure he could climb out anymore. Jack was everywhere. All around him, all within him, flowing and flexing and whispering and touching. Like a ghost, only worse, because Rhys could _feel him._ He was so alive and so powerful within Rhys’ veins. Rhys had an entire new respect for all that the man was, now that he could taste his power. He could smell it, hear it and almost touch it in every spared glance the ghost gave him, in every breath he panted into his ears, in every curl of his mouth. Rhys was lead over and over again like a lamb to slaughter and again and again he went. He went to bleed in Jack’s awaiting fingers. He went to bleed and he couldn’t give a real reason why. An infatuation that had gotten out of hand. Admiration that had twisted into something Rhys wasn’t sure he wanted.

 

_Of course you want it kiddo._

 

There he was. As if on cue. Husking syllables across the span of Rhys’ brain.

 

Rhys screwed his eyes shut tight and tried to will it away. Tried to will _him_ away. But he knows better. He isn’t going anywhere. He’s lodged tight between the nerves of Rhys’ conscious mind and he’s so at home it feels wrong. Everything about this is wrong. The way Rhys allows him to get beneath his skin with smooth words and even smoother touches. He knows it is wrong because this is Handsome Jack and Handsome Jack is _dangerous._

But Rhys can’t yet decide if that he is a type of dangerous that Rhys wants to have nothing to do with just yet. He can’t make up his mind about just what kind of dangerous he is. Is Jack the type of dangerous that Rhys knows will kill him in the end? Or is he the kind of dangerous that Rhys wants to side with. Dangerous in all the ways that make Rhys’ heart race and his skin prickle. He’s dangerous in the ways that really make Rhys question himself. He’s the kind of dangerous that Rhys _wants._ The kind of dangerous Rhys _needs._ And so he chooses to follow that danger down the rabbit hole and now he is in deep. He’s in so deep.

 

“Hey, Rhys we better get on bro.”

 

Vaughn’s voice rattles Rhys right out of his brain and Rhys looks down to the shorter man with hollow eyes.

 

He’s thinking too much.

 

He needs to stop that.

 

_Yeah, wouldn’t wanna hurt yourself with all that heavy thinkin’ kiddo._

 

Rhys sighs at the words echoing through his eardrum and chooses to acknowledge Vaughn instead.

 

“Yeah….guess we should.” Rhys murmured slowly.

 

His mismatched eyes flicked up to the great train spread out before them, the platform bustling with Pandoran natives, most looking to be packing enough heat to supply a small army. Rhys grimaced. He really wasn’t sure getting on a train filled with bandits was a very good idea, but they had little choice. Rhys was not about to use one of those hellacious fast travel stations again. They had no choice but to do this the hard way.

 

Pandoran trains were fast and they were well built, but they weren’t bullet proof and they weren’t immune to heists. Rhys looked down over himself and Vaughn. A couple of Hyperion lackeys weren’t exactly common to see taking this means of travel. He and Vaughn had scraped together just enough money for two tickets and well…here they stood, eyeing the big beast of a vehicle like it was some living thing.

 

Mechanics hissed from the front car and a crackling announcement came over the loudspeaker announcing that the next train to Opportunity is leaving in five minutes. Rhys sucks in a deep breath and pushes into the crowd, trying his best not to actually bump elbows with any of the massive looking bruisers or marauders.

 

Rhys stops counting the strange glances they have gotten by the time they get to the back of their assigned car and he finally slumps down into his window seat. He can feel eyes prickling his skin and suddenly he’s wishing he would have just toughed out the fast travel station. Vomiting his guts up would most likely be better than having his skull crushed in by one of the shady looking men sitting in his vicinity. Rhys scans the train car, gaze bounding from figure to figure, each one seeming to have more weaponry than the last.

 

The car is old. Just like everything else on Pandora. The fluorescent light directly above Rhys’ head flickers weakly, threatening to go out at any given second with each buzz of its bulb. It casts dancing shadows over the two counterparts like a small lightning storm but without all the rain and noise. Rhys looks out the window. It’s early. Really early. So early that the Pandoran sun hadn’t even begun to kiss at the midnight sky just yet. Hints of stars still scattered in flurries over the magenta atmosphere. Like salt spilled across such a beautiful, great space. For a moment, Pandora isn’t just murder and blood and sand. For a moment it is a gorgeous twilight that resonates in Rhys’ corneas and makes him feel just a slight bit overwhelmed. From behind a train car window the planet didn’t seem so very bad. It was just too rough and Rhys was not hard enough to survive such a place. He just wasn’t cut out for the grit and the hardships of a planet made for the mean and the ruthless.

 

He hoped Fiona and Sasha would understand.

 

He didn’t belong here.

 

He had to go back.

 

Rhys could hear Vaughn clear his throat beside him and his attention turned to the shorter man at his side. Vaughn looked tired too, heavy, unwanted bags clinging to the undersides of his eyes sockets like dark, unwanted guests. Vaughn was more stubborn and maybe he was slightly stronger than Rhys as far as willpower went, but Rhys knew he was at his ropes end. Really they both were. All Rhys wanted was a warm shower and clean sheets. He just wanted a place to lie his head down and not worry about being murdered in his sleep. He just couldn’t do it anymore. Surviving Pandora for as long as he had was a goddamned miracle and he was not about to push his luck any farther. It was time to pack it up and just go home. They’d tried. They’d given it their best shot. But this was over and now it was time to cut their losses and take what they had left on the long road back to civilization. A part of Rhys wanted to be ashamed for giving in so very easily.

 

“Kiddo, don’t be so hard on yourself. Ya done good for a pencil pushin’ moron.” Jack coos into the shell of Rhys ear and the young man gasps loudly effectively getting him a weird look from the gruff looking man in the seat in front of him.

 

Rhys slides down a little in his seat and tries not to meet eyes with the massive bandit. Finally the man adverts his eyes back to the window and Rhys sighs out slowly.

 

“Yeesh could they cram any more bandit scum into this one little train car? Smells like feet and piss in here.” Jack snapped half sitting half floating just above Rhys’ lap.

Rhys swallowed down the lump in his throat and tried to bury his ruffled demeanor from prying eyes around him.

 

“You’re a hologram. You can’t smell things.” Rhys thought angrily.

 

Jack cocked an eyebrow at the young man and tilted his head to the side in an un-amused fashion.

 

“I can smell things because you can smell things you idiot. I see what you see, think what you think, hear what you hear, trust me it’s not as friggin fun as it seems. Actually it’s awful. Really awful. Like being stuck with you is the absolute worst.” Jack sighed folding his arms, lip stuck out in the fashion of a child that didn’t get his way.

 

Rhys rolled his eyes and pressed his thin back into the worn train seat. Between Jack’s mean words and the even meaner looking bandits around him Rhys was deteriorating into one big bundle of nerves. One wrong move from him…or _Jack_ and he could be getting his esophagus ripped out by one of these heathen looking men. He was surprised none of them had tried to rob them just yet in all honesty.

 

Rhys did his best to hide the Hyperion logo on the front of his vest.

 

“You know what _else_ I can smell cupcake?” Jack quipped.

 

Rhys didn’t answer and Jack took that silence as an immediate no.

 

“ _Fear_. And oh kiddo, you are just _dripping_ with it. Better watch it, bandits like to pick off the _scared_ and _weak_ ones. Try not to piss your pants and make yourself look like more of an idiot than you already are champ.” Jack snarled before flickering away, gone back into the depths of Rhys brain.

 

Rhys tries to rid himself of the thoughts and focuses on the train gently beginning to come to life. The monstrous creature of a machine hisses and groans with forced motion, the walls rattling and the lights flickering momentarily before it takes off and climbs up to speed. Rhys breathes out through his nose and listens to the rattle of the train as it races down the tracks, clattering and moving around the first bend so quick it jars the young man to the side.

 

Vaughn says nothing beside him and after a quick glance sideways Rhys realizes that the younger man had already leaned back into his seat and fallen fast asleep. Rhys wishes he could fall asleep that quickly. He really does. He was pretty sure Vaughn could sleep on a pile of rocks and be perfectly happy and nod off within seconds. Rhys leans over onto the armrest closest to the window and rests his chin in his palm.

 

The train is fast over the landscape, racing like lighting and booming like thunder. At some point Rhys assumes he manages to find some sleep because when he wakes with a startle the landscape is different and the train car feels obviously colder. Rhys huffs out and swears he can see his breath in the chill of the train car. Rhys blinks several times, trying in vain to force the sleep out of his eyes but he still feels groggy and tired.

 

“Wake the hell up Rhys.” Jack’s voice rings through him like a shock to the head.

 Rhys winces and groans lowly.

 

“I am awake asshole.” Rhys thinks irritably pinching at the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes for a moment.

 

“Don’t cop an attitude with me. We got a fucking problem kiddo.” Jack snarls and the tone of his voice shakes Rhys down to the very core.

 

It’s vicious, mean and _urgent._ Like a snarl, only deeper and fiercer.

 

“W-What?” Rhys thinks eyes wide now listening intently with perked ears for a continuation to Jack’s sudden declaration.

 

“Guy two rows back from the front. Short hair, sandy colored, combat uniform on. He keeps looking back here. That guy right there is fucking bad news for us. We need to get the hell off this train, _now.”_ Jack hisses.

 

“W-why? Do you know him??” Rhys thinks now settling into full on panic.

 

“Yeah. He followed you on. Didn’t recognize him until now. Friggin Vault Hunter…” Jack spat his voice dipping low and dangerous.

 

Rhys’ eyes scan up the train car slowly, up the rows one by one, until they to the row two back from the front. Just like Jack described there is a man sitting there, leaned slumped in his seat, one combat boot propped casually up on his knee. He honestly looks like one of the least threatening people on this goddamned train in Rhys’ opinion. He’s bulky, but not in the sense of some of the bandits around him. They are bulky in the way that is comparable to a well-built brick home equipped with a rocket launcher whereas this ‘vault hunter’ is just bulky on a normal scale. He’s bulky in the way that happens after being on Pandora for a while and having to run for your life often. His hair is short, except for the front, where it sticks into a pointed little Mohawk wannabe style. He has a headset in his ear and grenades strapped to his waist. He doesn’t _look_ like a vault hunter…but Rhys knows better than to not trust Jack’s word. Whether Jack is wrong or right, going against him was not a sane idea.

 

“He’s a vault hunter?” Rhys thinks swallowing thickly.

 

“Yeah. Calls himself the commando. Tough as fucking nails and really hard to kill, trust me I friggin tried. It’s not surprising really. You got a pretty bounty on your head kiddo. Hyperion wants you bad and anything Hyperion wants, those damned vault hunters are gunna want too. Shit.” Jack growls sharply.

 

“W-What!? What the hell do we do?” Rhys’ voice is panicked as it echoes through his brain.

 

“First off quit fucking talkin’ you’re making it hard to think with your whiny ass voice!” Jack snaps and Rhys bites his lip.

 

“Wake your nerd buddy up. Slowly. No sudden movements can’t have him knowing you’re onto him.” Jack commands and Rhys doesn’t second guess any of it.

 

Jack sounds far too frightening to do anything that stupid.

 

Rhys’ cybernetic fingers gently shake Vaughn’s shoulder and Vaughn wakes up with a low mumble and a sloppy snort.

 

“What the hell bro?” Vaughn grumbles and Rhys shoves a shushing finger to his lips.

 

Vaughn instantly catches on that there is something terribly wrong. He can see it in Rhys’ wide eyes.

 

Rhys leans in close to Vaughn and acts like he is admiring Vaughn’s watch.

 

“We’re being followed. Don’t move. Don’t panic.” Rhys says all the while holding a bright fake smile.

 

Vaughn does as instructed, sharing in a smile, eyes full of questions and concerns.

 

“Alright kiddo. When I say so, you are gunna grab that SMG off that guys back. The guy right there in front of you and you are gunna shoot that vault hunter in the back of the head. As soon as you do, this place is gunna turn to a shit storm, you better drop and get out that back door as fast as possible.” Jack instructs and Rhys feels himself go white as a sheet.

 

“Jack I can’t do that, I can’t kill someone.”

 

Rhys is frantic then, head throbbing, blood pounding in his ears.

 

“Yeah well time to grow some balls kiddo. Cause if you don’t he will, and I am not _dying_ on account of your stupid ass!” Jack barks and it rattles off Rhys’ skull.

 

Rhys isn’t sure if he wants to cry or scream, or maybe both but his heart is racing and his vision is blurry and he feels too sweaty and too panicked. _Kill or be killed that is the way it works down here._ I can’t kill, Rhys thinks. _You have to._ I can’t, Rhys begs. _Then you will die._ I don’t want to die, Rhys stutters. _Then shoot._

Rhys feels al the breath leave him and he can’t do it. He can’t, but Jack can. Rhys feels the electric pulsation as Jack takes hold of his arm without his consent. He should be used to it, but this time feels so much different. This time it is truly, utterly terrifying. He doesn’t know what exactly he is doing…he just _does._ Without second thought, without considering consequences, without hesitation. Rhys watches helplessly as mechanical fingers curl around the butt of the SMG strapped to the man’s back in front of him. There’s a tug and a pull and the gun is loose and Rhys isn’t sure if he is breathing.

 

Rhys yells and tries to fight Jack.

 

He doesn’t want to kill.

 

He can’t kill.

 

He won’t.

 

Rhys jumps as the gun fires and he feels the kick and it hurts when it smacks into the side of Rhys’ temple. Rhys’ ears ring with the shot and he can feel the blood gushing from the head wound, seeping down his neck and beneath his collar.

It’s like a bomb has gone off in the small cab.

Rhys stares unblinkingly as the vault hunter stands and pulls a pistol from his belt. There is a spray of bullet holes just to the man’s right and Rhys sucks in a sharp breath.

He _missed._

Rhys hits the floor as the train car explodes in gunfire and screaming. Vaughn is right there next to him and his eyes are wide with absolute panic. Jack is yelling at him to run and everything is so fucking loud he just can’t seem to hold onto any one single thought. The gunfire is deafening and rattling. Rhys can see a bandit drop a couple rows up, his head blown open by a point blank shotgun blast. For a moment Rhys feels like he might just throw up onto the ground. There’s the shatter of glass and suddenly there is a ringing alarm screaming through the small car. Rhys is jolted forward on his hands and knees as the train starts to slow and he knows it is now or never.

Rhys grabs Vaughn’s elbow and they crawl to the door at the back of the train car. Rhys’ quick fingers get it open and they scramble out slamming it behind them. The chilled air hits Rhys like a kick to the gut and it makes breathing hard. The cold stings as it enters his lungs and the outside railing of the train is freezing. Rhys looks toward the roof of the train and then to Vaughn.

“We have to get to the back of the train!” Rhys yells loudly.

Vaughn nods and Rhys leads the way, egged on by Jack yelling in his head, screaming at him to get his ass in gear and _run._ The train’s speed is slowing drastically as Rhys reaches the roof and looks out at their surroundings. He can literally see Opportunity just ahead, the grand city rising into the sky brilliantly. If they could just get off the train, they could make it there on foot in no time flat. Rhys crawls over the roof, Vaughn following suit. Rhys can feel his fingers shaking and his pulse thrums in his eardrums and everything is in fast forward. Vaughn climbs down the back ladder first, hitting the platform with a metallic bang and Rhys looks back down the train.

Rhys freezes when he sees movement on the other side of the long car.

The man from the train car, the supposed vault hunter, hauls himself onto the roof, shotgun in hand. Rhys meets eyes with him, pine green colliding with brown and blue.

“IF YOU WANNA LIVE BUDDY YOU BETTER STOP RIGHT THERE!” The man yells his voice booming like a canon through the open air.

 _Don’t you dare stop kiddo!!_ Jack bellows and so Rhys doesn’t.

Rhys scrambles over the side of the train and as soon as he hits the platform he screams at Vaughn to jump. The train is nearly stopped, but not all the way. Jumping is the only choice that they have. The two men barrel over the side, feet hitting the ground and rolling. Rhys gets up first and his hands yank Vaughn to his feet and force him to start running. Rhys may have not been a fighter but he was a damned good runner, and so he ran, as fast as his legs would allow. He slides down the slight slope of the hill, boots scraping over the slightly frozen earth. They hit the bottom and they are on their feet again Opportunity rising up just before them and it is so close but so far.

Rhys hears the whirr of something zip past his ear and he is pretty sure it’s a grenade. The object hits and bounces to the ground directly in front of him, a small square object. Rhys slides to a stop, his foot nearly touching the small thing as he laid breathing heavily in the dirt. He curls up into the fetal position and waits for the explosion, waits to be blown to bits in mere seconds…but it never comes. Instead the object whirrs to life with a hiss of mechanics and working parts.

Rhys dares to open one eye and is face to face with the barrel of a turret cannon. Rhys lets loose of his shaky breath and slowly lifted up on quivering elbows.

There’s the crunch of heavy boots just to Rhys’ left and the young man slowly looks up as a shadow passes over him. The heavy boots pause as the man leans lazily on the big turret still trained insistently on Rhys’ form.

“I told ya not to run.” The man breathes through a bright, witty grin.

Rhys pants as he looks up at him, and he has never felt more afraid in his entire life. For the first time he gets a look at the vault hunters face and it isn’t exactly what he’d expect to see when staring down death. He’s unshaven, a gruff stubble spreading over his broad chin. Two scars scribed over his face, one over his chin, one over his eyebrow. He has these piercing eyes, like two green jewels set deep into his skull and Rhys feels cold under the scrutinizing gaze. He seemed like someone that you’d take to a bar and have a few drinks with, not someone that would shoot you in the face for money. But if there was one thing Rhys had learned in his horrid stay on this planet, it was that looks could be deceiving. Here even thirteen year olds and the elderly were murderers.

“Now, pretty boy…we can do this the easy way…or we can do this the hard way.” The man chortled patting the big turret fondly with his open palm.

Rhys opened his mouth, eyes darting from a very frightening looking Vaughn, back to the vault hunter, trying to form the right words…but they never had a chance to come. There was a sudden explosion from above them. The vault hunter looked skyward and muttered a frustrated ‘shit’ beneath his breath. Helios was bright with light as the moon base radiated with energy, its moon shot canon gaining in power as it came to life.

The moon shot hits the earth mere yards from them and it is enough to shake the ground and nearly knock the vault hunter to his knees. The constructor shot down from the canon unfolds and blinks with artificial life, instantly birthing four hot loaders, armed and ready. The vault hunter’s turret swivels in the direction of the loaders and begins firing mercilessly. He looked to the two frightened Hyperion goons and then to the loaders that were multiplying quicker than his turret could shoot them down. He was outgunned and outnumbered.

“This isn’t over little man.” The vault hunter snarls shaking a pointed finger into Rhys’ face.

His turret folds up and he grabs it, taking off out into the landscape after taking down a couple more loaders. Rhys brings a shivering hand to his face to make sure that he is still real, that he is still alive…and then everything is black.

 

 

 

 


End file.
